The Zambian Army has promoted two of the country’s top female footballers, Barbra Banda, to the rank of Warrant Officer Class Two (WOII), and Rachael Kundananji, from Private to the rank of Corporal.

Banda, Zambian women’s national team captain who plies her trade with Orlando Pride, and Kundananji who plays for Bay Football Club in the United States, were decorated with their new ranks by Zambia Army Commander, Lieutenant General Geoffrey Choongo Zyeele, following their sterling performances for the Copper Queens in the outgoing year.

During the ceremony held at the Army Headquarters in Lusaka on Tuesday, Zyeele said the two players’ performances had been mind-blowing and inspiring to the young female players, the nation and world.

Zyeele said Officers, Men and Women and the entire nation were proud of the duo’s performance and stated that they had demonstrated the fighting spirit and endurance, bringing out the heart of the buffalo among the pride of lions.

“WOII Banda has had a superb season, having broken a record by becoming the first Zambian to win the prestigious BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year Award,” he noted.

Zyeele added that Banda’s success comes at the backdrop of a stellar individual brilliance at both National and Club level.

He stated that during the period 2023 to October, 2024, WOII Banda became the highest goal-scoring African player in Olympic history with 10 goals.

“She was also a pillar of the national team during their Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers that saw her guide the Copper Queens to next year’s WAFCON after a 12-nil score line against Angola, across a two-legged tie,” Zyeele said.

He noted that following Banda’s record-breaking switch from Shanghai Shengli in China to Orlando Pride in USA as the second most expensive woman in the World, Banda scored 13 goals for the Club during the regular season.

Banda also scored four more goals into the playoffs and assisted seven times, and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) to inspire the Club to its first League title.

“The Copper Queens Captain beat Barcelona duo, Aitana Bonmati and Caroline Graham Hansen to win the award. Cpl Kundananji, World’s most expensive woman player valued at $ 860,000 scored five times for her club,” Zyeele said.

MLS giants, Inter Miami, are set to battle the likes of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Inter Milan, Saudi Pro League side, Al Hilal, as well as Turkish club, Galatasaray, for the signature of Egyptian captain, Mohamed Salah, as he enters his final season at Liverpool.

According to media reports in England, Salah has reportedly attracted interest from the clubs which are all monitoring the player should he become a free agent as he has not yet signed a contract extension with the Reds.

Mohamed Salah’s future has been looking shaky lately and with his contract at Anfield set to expire in the summer, he has been the subject of countless transfer rumors.

Salah also fueled speculations on Sunday after Liverpool defeated Manchester City in a Premier League match where he was quoted as saying:

“Honestly, it’s in my head. Until now, this is the last City game I will play for Liverpool, so I was just going to enjoy it.”

Salah has not backed down from fueling speculations around his future whenever the chance presented itself but nevertheless, the forward says he remains focused on the field and has not let his contract situation affect his performances

Sources close to the situation have revealed that Inter Miami have shown strongest interest in signing Salah, joining an impressive list of clubs keeping an eye on the forward.

Another Saudi Pro League side, Al Ittihad, had previously made a big move to sign the Egyptian but failed to secure the deal.

Elsewhere in Europe, Barcelona are reportedly keeping tabs on Mo, along with Turkish giants Galatasaray who were rumored earlier to have an offer on the table ready for the player while PSG, Juventus, and Inter Milan have also shown interest in the African star.